Texas Nights - Book 13 of the Damned of the 2/19th

Briefings

USS Saratoga
Mediterranean Sea
[CLASSIFIED LOCATION]
28 May, 1992
0700 Hours ZULU - Thursday

The room was quiet, hushed, when I walked in behind Captain Jane. Behind me was Donovan and First Sergeant Ramirez. The carrier was quiet, for an aircraft carrier, and we were underway, steaming North toward the coast of the former Soviet satellite state of Yugoslavia. It had collapsed soon after the Soviet Union, tearing itself into multiple nations by October of 1991.

None of which liked each other.

Which brought 15th FSB here, to the USS Saratoga. A grand old lady who's predecessor was something of note in Special Weapons history, since the World War 2 USS Saratoga had been used in the Bikini Atoll tests in 1946.

The ship, which was probably cramped at the best of times, was pretty crowded with the arrival of 15th FSB and the Rapid Deployment TO&E. The Navy guys weren't being too salty about it, but still I could tell that the ship's systems weren't designed for this many people.

I moved over to the chair and sat down after Captain Jane and First Sergeant Ramirez took their seats. Donovan moved over next to the wall with the folders in his hand and a blank expression. Stillwater touched my shoulder as he walked by and stood next to Donovan, Captain Arthur moving past to sit down.

The briefing room slowly filled up. A lot of sailors, but they would be providing support during whatever the hell we were going to be doing. Whatever it was, they'd moved us out as soon as we'd loaded up on the C-140's, refueled us mid-flight over the Atlantic, and landed us on a super-carrier. I could see two CIA agents, at least a half-dozen Navy Intelligence, a Special Forces Major, and if I was correct, two Navy SEALS and an Air Force Commando.

Christ. This was big guns. But why bring in 15th?

I had a bad feeling about it.

Finally some Navy guy with a ton of brass on his uniform stepped up in front of everyone, going to parade rest and looking out over everyone.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen," He said. Oh, God, I'd forgotten how unfailingly polite the Navy brass were. "I apologize for bringing you here if you have just underwent a long flight, but the situation is destabilizing rapidly and President Bush has authorized immediate military intervention."

I leaned back in my chair, opening my camouflaged plastic covered notebook.

"First, a little background," The man said. He was a something or other. Admiral maybe? Anyway, he waved at another man. "Commander Reginald, if you would."

The Navy Commander moved up, pulling down a map-board and showing a modified map of former Yugoslavia. "Thank you, Rear Admiral Ostlen," he stated. He picked up a pointer and tapped the map. "The former Soviet Republic of Yugoslavia suffered a complete meltdown in October of 1991 as ethnic lines fractures and each section has attempted to individually assert its own independence independent of the independent individual ethno-states."

yeah, say that three times fast

"Yesterday, for the fourth day, the city of Sarajevo, the capital, were shelled by elements of the multiple military forces mobilized throughout the countryside," The Commander said.

oh for Lugus's sake, just speak plainly

"The UN Secretary General has attributed those shellings to a newly established military force: Army of the Republika Srpska, which was founded recently on 12 May 1992 from the remnants of the Yugoslavic People's Army, put under the command of General Ratko Mladic, who is a long time member of the Yugoslavian League of Communists. General Mladic has been with the Yugoslavian military since 1965 and took part in the Ten Day War in June of 1991," The Commander continued.